I've been hearing about E-tesettur, the Turkish online store where you can make purchases despite where you are located. They ship globally, so that's an advantage. Another advantage is that they are priced in Turkish Lira ($1 AUD is currently equivalent to approximately 1.85 TL, and $1 USD approximately 1.75 TL) in accordance with the Turkish market. So you don't get ripped off, except, shipping is quite pricey if you live outside Turkey and/or Europe. You are able to pay using your bank account details or Paypal. I always prefer Paypal, because if something goes wrong, you have a higher chance of getting your money back if you are in the right.
The only downside is that the website is currently in Turkish only, so you might have a little difficulty checking out.
The thing that tempted me to shop was the discounted shawls. Remember one of my recent hijab tutorials where I mentioned the slightly stiff shawls? So yeah, these shawls were discounted, so I wanted to try a couple. I didn't go overboard, because I plan to be in Turkey some time this year inshaallah if all goes as planned.
Most of the ones I wanted were sold out, so I ordered a gorgeous sax, cinnamon, and a mustard coloured shawl. So three hijabs all up and I added four cute polo neck tops just because they were cheap cheap cheap! :)))
I'm having huge problems with my Australia Post courier who fails to do his job properly, so it took extra long to receive my order. I had to chase my parcel and pick it up in person. I'm so pissed off with that grrrrr &%$^#&@ guy! If I ever see him I'm gonna bite his head off!
So, I tore the box open in mixed emotions of rage and excitement and.................. pissed off again!!!! 2 out of the 3 shawls I ordered were sent wrong! Only the sax lazer cut oh so beautiful shawl was correct, the other two were ugh! Actually, the red they sent instead of the cinnamon is still okay since I can wear the reverse for a more dark cherry colour. I never wear the other bright red, and don't think I ever will. As for the one I got instead of the mustard... I hate hate hate it! It's too thick, and it's just friggen fabric you can purchase from fabric stores... just as they have done, and had the edges overlocked with thick hemming. It's not even worth the price. Originally they were approx 70 TL (so around $38 AUD), and now reduced to 35 TL (approx. $20 AUD). I wouldn't pay $5 on that let alone $20 plus shipping. Oh, and shipping cost me around $5 AUD per item. Not cheap! But you can track it online, so it's okay considering it comes all the way from Turkey.
I wrote to the company about the issues that bothered me. They apologised and explained that they have just recently switched to using barcodes, thus the mix up. They offered to make up for my troubles by reimbursing me for the two hijabs that were mixed up. I haven't replied as yet, but will do so today to accept their offer, but for the very thick shawl that I absolutely hated. I can still wear the red one, so I'm willing to bear the price of that. At least they were courteous and generous enough to compromise.
So here are my items...
See the red? The reverse, darker side looks really nice when worn. However, it's not too suitable for summer; a little too thick. The red one is from the Armanda brand and it is 18% silk. The navy print one is the one I hate soooo much. I hate it, hate it, hate it!
See how gorgeous the sax one with laser cut edges looks? It feels and drapes amazingly too! It actually reminds me of the Karaca shawls, but a slightly thicker version. I cannot wait to wear it out.
The polo neck tops with the lace are absolutely gorgeous. Excellent choice of lycra. The colours are actually a little darker than they seem in the photo. The navy is a true navy, and the red is a cherry red, so it's not as bright as it seems. The only one I regret purchasing is the leopard print one as the jersey is too... hmm too much nylon. I can't imagine wearing it on a hot day. Other than the fabric I like it. The neck is so high that you can wear your hijab back without revealing any neck/throat bits at all. I wasn't sure of the sizing so I purchased two of them in medium and two in large. Since they have a lot of stretch, I can wear medium, but it's not the correct size for me. I'm an Aussie 12-14 (Turkish 44), so large fits perfectly. FYI.
Would I recommend buying from E-tesettur? Sure would! However, as I mentioned before, get your Turkish friends to help when ordering, and pay via Paypal. Email them with any questions, and you should be fine. :)))
Posted on 8:26 PM / 0
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